Does higher altitude make you go faster?

Your speed slows. Similarly, with less oxygen in the air, you can expect to run a little slower at higher altitudes. Your cardiovascular system won't function as well without oxygen, so don't expect to flaunt your best running times the day you arrive in a location at a higher elevation.



Physically, an airplane does not fly faster at higher altitudes; in fact, it often travels slower in terms of "Indicated Airspeed" because the air is thinner. However, from a practical perspective, higher altitudes allow for a much higher True Airspeed (TAS) and better fuel efficiency. Because the air density is lower at 35,000 feet, there is significantly less aerodynamic drag (wind resistance) pushing against the plane. This allows the aircraft to move through the air more easily while using less fuel. While the engine's power actually decreases in thin air (due to less oxygen for combustion), the reduction in drag more than makes up for it, allowing the plane to reach a high "Ground Speed" (the speed relative to the earth's surface). Furthermore, flying high allows jets to take advantage of jet streams—high-altitude "rivers of air"—which can add over 100 mph to a plane's ground speed if they are flying with a tailwind, making the journey much faster than it would be at lower altitudes.

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As well as wind, temperature, and altitude also impact true airspeed. When altitude or air temperature increases, the density of air decreases and the true airspeed increases. This is because there is less air to put up resistance against the aircraft moving forward, so the aircraft moves faster through the air.

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Generally speaking, flying at higher altitudes means higher airspeed because of less drag. Of course, the type of aircraft you are flying will come into play as you work with flying at different altitudes, as will the amount of weight you are carrying.

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As it turns out, along with being thinner, research suggests people worldwide who live at high altitudes have a lower incidence of both cancer and heart disease than folks who live closer to sea level. Note that these studies were done decades ago. We've known the health advantages of high altitude for a long time.

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The biggest reason for flying at higher altitudes lies in fuel efficiency. The thin air creates less drag on the aircraft, which means the plane can use less fuel in order to maintain speed. Less wind resistance, more power, less effort, so to speak.

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